Blinker signaling device



May 22, 1945. a. A. D||.| ER 2,376,535

BLINKER SIGNALING DEVICE I v Filed Dec. 21, 1945 Illll1!ll!uminimiMinimum lm Inn. |IIIIIIIIIlllIlllllllIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIII ullllmlmu Il Il Il Il Illllll minimi INVENTOR Patented May 22, 1945 k UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BLINKEa SIGNALING DEVICE Burgoyne A. Diller, United States Navy Application December 2l, 1943, Serial No. 515,121

6 Claims. (01.'35-14) (Granted under the act ofMarch 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 3,70 0. G. 757) My Apresent invention relates generally to signaling devices, and has particular reference to a device of the blinker type.

A general object of my invention is to provide a signaling' device of such simplified structure that it may be manufactured almost entirely of simple inexpensive sheet material such as cardboard or the like. A more particular object is to provide a structure and mode o-f operation which permits the device to assume an unusually small and compact form adapted to be held in and operated by one hand o-f a user. 1 l The present improved device has been designed primarily for instructional purposes, it being intended that large quantities of the device may be manufactured speedily and at low cost, for distribution to trainees in the armed forces, and others, to enhance the teaching of signaling generally and the art of blinker signaling in particular. Because of its small and inexpensive nature, the devicemay also rind utility as an educational toy. Nevertheless, since it is a complete signaling device by means of which messages and signals may be transmitted from one person to another, and since certain features of the invention are not necessarily restricted to a device of reducedsize, it will be understood that certain phases of the invention may be considered to relate to signaling devices generally. f'

'Ihe present improved structure consists essentially of a pair of superposed relatively slidable flat front and back members, the front member having a series of adjacent spaced apertures therein, the back member being provided on its front surface with spaced light and dark areas which are so arranged that relative endwise movements of said members will bring'feither the light or the dark areas into matching registry with said apertures. The apertures preferably assume the form of parallel slits arranged in a group which conjointly denes a sort of circular spot, and the markings on the back member are correspondingly shaped and arranged. Thus, if the outer surface of the front member is of dark character, the contemplated relative movements of the members will result in making this spot alternately dark and light, whereby code messages may be transmitted to an observer at a distance in much the same manner as sulch messages are transmitted by large-size blinker signaling devices. However, whereas'the conventional large-size devices usually employ a beam of light from an articial source, and require pivoted movements of louvres or the like and all the mechanism and accessories which suchan action calls for, the present devicev is essentially composed of only the two front and back members referred t0.

In accordance with my present invention, the back member is held in sliding contact with the front member by a bracing panel or backing, this panel and the front member being so associated as to define a, pocket within which the back'mem- Iber is movable in an endwise manner. This back member is a separate element, and a resilient yieldable means is provided in the pocket for constantly urging. this member into a normal 'position, the hand or lingers of the user being employed to eilefct the desired relative movements of the front and back member against the action of the resilient means.

In one embodiment of the invention, the resilient means assumes the form of a compression spring, in another embodiment it consists of a tension spring such as a length of rubber or its equivalent. In each case, the spring is operatively interposed |between the separate back member (which constitutes the movable member v of the pair) and another relatively xed `part ure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken substantially lalong the line 3--3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the relatively lixed parts of the device as they appear prior to final assemb-ly of the device during its manufacture;

Figure 5 is a viewcf the movable member or slide shown by itself; a

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 4 illustrating a modication'in the spring means employed;` and y l Figures '7 and 8 vare falce views of the device illustrating theA changes in its appearance when it is used for signaling purposes.

The front member I0 consists of a, flat blank of sheet material, such as cardboard, and is provided with a series of spaced adjacent apertures Il which I have illustratively shown in the form of parallel slits conjointly defining a sort of circular spotf The front member I 0 is preferably substantially rectangular and I have illustratively shown it in the form of a square. So that the general nature and capabilities of my invention may be more fully appreciated, it malr be mentioned that a satisfactory and highly efficient device may be constructed with this square no more than about two inches long.

Arranged behind the member I and in sliding contact therewith'is a back member I2 (see Figure which is provided on its front surface with spaced light and dark areas I3, Where the apery tures I I assume the form of slits as shownin Figure 1, the markings on the back member I2` are of corresponding striped configuration. These markings are so arranged that reciprocating endwise movements of one of the members relative to the other will alternately bring either the lightareas or the dark areas, I3 into matching registry with the apertures or slits I I.

Behind the member I2 is a backing orbracing panel I4 which serves to hold the member I2 in position. A sort of flat pocket is provided between the panel I4 and the front member I0.

In Figures 2 and 3 I have illustrated one type of resilient yieldable means for vnormally urging the movable member I2 in one direction. I have illustratively shown a tension spring4 I5 in the form of a lengthof rubber or the like, one end I6 being fastened in any suitable manner to the lower part of the member I2, the opposite end I1 being fastened in any suitable manner to the upg per partl of the panel I4.

The several parts may be held together in various ways. A preferred construction is illustrated most clearly in Figure 4 in which itwill be observed that the front member I0 and the backing panel I4 are formed of a single blank ofsheet material, such as cardboard. i. Along the side edges, the front member I0 may be provided with flaps I8 which turn inwardly when the device is assembled and serve as side guides-for the movements of the movable-member I2 (see Figure 3). The panel I4 may also be Vprovided with side aps I9 which turn inwardly and provide a spacewhich serves to accommodate the resilient tension member I5. At one end of the'member I0 ailap 20 is provided vwhich isultimately secured to the panel I4 to seal the pocket that is formed between this panel and the `front member I0, this nal assembly being performed, of course, only after the sliding member I2 and the spring associated with it'have been properly inserted into the space between the front member I0 and the panel I4.

Along the hinge line connecting the flap 20 to the member I0, I prefer tozprovide a cut-out 2I which affords access tothe upper edge of the movable member I2 when the device is to be used.

In Figure 6 I have illustrated a modified construction similar to that in Figure 4. In this figure, the movable member I2 is shown in position prior to the final closing and sealing of the structure, .and I have illustrativelyshown a compression spring 22 operatively interposed between vthe lower part of the slide I2 and the lower end of the pocket. The other parts of Figure 6 are identical with those of Figure4, andthe same reference numerals have therefore been applied. i h

The front face of the front member I0 may be either of dark or light character. `I prefer to make this surface dark, as shown in Figures 7 and `8, and to arrange the markings I3 on the member I2 so that in its normal position the dark marke ings register with the apertures II so that the device appears entirely dark (as shown in'. Figure 7) when viewed from a distance. the hand or fingers of the user are applied to opposite ends of the device, as indicated in Figure 2, so that a slight pressure will result in moving the member I 2 downwardly (as viewed -in Figures 1, 2, 7, and 8), thereby bringing the light areas I3 into registry with the apertures I I. This imparts the appearance of Figure 8 to the device, the spot havingbeen made visible from a distance. A release of the pressure allows the interior spring or i other resilient means to restore the parts to their ao-A original relationships.

Ihave illustrated a construction in which the front member I0 and the retaining panel I4 are formed of a single piece of material. It will be understood, however, that these elements may be separate pieces, and that the various flat parts shown in Figures 1 and 2 may be held together in any other convenient manner.

While in the preferred construction, the light and dark areas I3 on the front surface of the member I2 are provided by merely printing or otherwise applying suitable pigment to this surface (e. g., by printingwith black ink upon a white background or with white ink upon a darker background), it will be understood that the desired effect could be achieved in various other ways, if desired, For example, the member I2 might have a mirrored surface upon which the suitable areas are provided by blackening or darkening certain predetermined regions, but in such a case it has been found that thedesired signaling effect is not of uniform character since the mirrored surface would appear light only in certain angular positions with respect to an eX- terior source of light to be reflected by it. In any case, the term light and dark areas as used hereinand in the appended claims is intended to include within its scope any means equivalent to that shown whereby the desired variations in the appearance of the spot may be effected by simple reciprocating movements of the character described.

In general, it will be understood that the details herein described and illustrated to explain the general nature of the invention may be modified by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its'use, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: f

1. In a blinker signaling device, a pair of superposed relatively slidable flat front and back members, the front member having a seriesv of adjacent spaced apertures therein and an exterior surface of uniform coloration, the back member being provided on its front surface with spaced light and dark areasso arranged thatrelative endwise movements of said members will bring either the light or the dark areas into matching registry with said apertures, one set of said areas having a uniform coloration identical with thatr of the exterior surface of the front member so that when said set is in registry with said aperturesy the front of the device presents to view a blank composite area of uniform coloration.

2. In a blinker signaling device, a pair ofv superposed relatively slidable fiat front and back In operation,

members, the front member having a series of adjacent spaced'apertures therein and an exterior surface of uniform dark coloration, the back member being provided `on its front surface with spaced light and dark areas so arrangedv that relative endwise movements of said members will bring either the light or lthe dark areas into matching registry with said apertures, the dark set of said areas having a uniform coloration identical with that of the exterior surface of the front member so that when said dark set is in registry with said apertures the front of the device presents to View a blank composite area of uniform dark coloration.

3. In a blinker signaling device, the combination of elements set forth in claim 1, said apertures being in the form of parallel slits of progressively increasing and decreasing lengths so as to conjointly define an apertured area of substantially circular contour, said light and dark areas being correspondingly in the form of parallel Stripes.

4. In a blinker signaling device to `be held in and operated by one hand of aluser, a substantially rectangular fiat bracing panel, a fiat front member overlying said panel and secured thereto so as to form a pocket between them, said front member having a series of adjacent spaced apertures therein and an exterior surface of uniform coloration, a separate movable member slidably mounted in said pocket and provided on its front surface with spaced light and dark areas so arranged that reciprocal endwise movements of said movable member will alternately bring the light areas and the dark areas into matching registry with said apertures, o ne set of said areas having a uniform coloration identical with that of `the exterior surface of ythe frontl member so that when said set is in registry with said apertures thev front of the device presents to View a blank composite area of uniform coloration, and a yieldably resilient means within said pocket arranged to act upon an edge of said movable member so as to urge the latter constantly into the position in which said blank composite area of uniform coloration is exposed to View.

5. In a blinker signaling device, the combination of elements set forth in claim 4, said yieldable resilient means comprising a compression spring.

6. In a blinker signaling device, the combination of elements set forth in claim 4, said means comprising a tension spring operatively interposed between said movable member and a Wall of said pocket.

BURGOYNE A. DILLER. 

